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on which it hangs itself, till they each penetrate into the other, and a mutual decay ensues.

Then it is no longer like papa and me!

Isabella, what must be done to save the life of these trees?

Untwine them.

You cannot now, they are one.
It should have been done sooner.

It should; and had the gardener been attentive, he would not have suffered it to have remained so long undone. By untwisting the shoots occasionally, and disengaging them when they are too close, they will strengthen of themselves, and yet remain in the kindly shelter and support of the stronger tree without injury to it or itself, and by pruning away some superabundant shoots, the health and luxuriance of both will be preserved.

But that does not now apply to me, she said, sighing; my papa is taken away, but my heart will always be entwined about his memory.

Isabella, learn a lesson. Such love is idolatry, and the thing so loved is the idol. Your heavenly father perhaps designed to save you both by taking away one; perhaps you were each to the other an idol, and then were you both idolators, and then would you each have been the destroyers of the other, and of yourselves. My dear girl, listen as to a lesson from God, with reverence and silence. What must be now done for the woodbine? We must cut down the branch of the lilac below the cause of the mutual disease.

Oh, do not give me such a pain at my heart! Not wantonly, Isabella. There is this comfort, whilst the woodbine is preserved by this stroke, the lilac has a life in the root, which will make it spring up again. Look, my dear Isabella, to that blessed hope, that if your dear papa was taken away from the evil to come, and sleeps in Jesus, he shall rise again to eternal life.

She fixed her eye steadfastly upon me, and I proceeded: You have yet a mother,- -see once more the woodbine; it grows between two lilacs; it has inclined all its shoots to one, and the other stands desolate, without the ornament of the beautiful fragrant flowers which decorate the other.

She colored deep, and her hand trembled.

My dear child, now turn to your hitherto forgotten mother, and be willing to let the great Gardener lead your young shoots that way, and direct them to your mutual comfort and support; be willing that He should untwine you when you tend to idolatrous love; and teach you carefully to watch your tender mother's happiness, who never refused your endearments.

Our whole party had become intensely interested, and there was a silence of some minutes. At length my friend said,

I can also teach a lesson from the garden. See, here is a plant which is always inclining to grow crooked, and spoils the order of the shrubs. I put beside it this strong stake, which I call Order; and I tie it up straight to it with these bands, which I call Discipline: and the plant will then lean neither to one side or the other.

This comparison did not exactly suit the tone of feeling which had been excited. The lesson was good, but from being so abrupt and ill-timed, failed to call forth a pleasing sympathy. A smile passed over the faces of the young people, but it was not from the heart, and faded away into the softer expression of intelligent conviction which had before animated them with deepest interest.

As I found by the hold which Isabella and Mary again involuntarily took of my arm, that I had gained some little interest in their feelings, I drew them on a little further, continuing the strain of conversation on the right-placing and direction of the heart's affections, with the necessity we all have to watch both the spring and motive from which they act, and then took leave.

CHAPTER II.

As I returned homewards I endeavored to form some plans, which by the most easy and unaffected incidents, might lead on to the illustration of the duties of children to parents; and to this important object determined to devote myself for some time, trusting to be led into such scenes and circumstances as might aid my purpose. And as in all these things I find the poorer classes afford me more immediate opportunities, both from the easy access we can gain to their

domestic scenes, and from the disguises of natural character being less systematic, I turned my thoughts to trace out a few families in my neighborhood, among whom I expected to find the full development of my object. The reflection to which I was led on these indelible words of the enduring commandment of God, "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee," made me feel as though they were written on the palms of my hands, and I felt my heart commenting upon them in the words of the apostle, Eph. vi. 1-3, " Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise-that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." My mind was thus fully occupied until the arrival of little Jane, according to appointment, was announced. I desired that she might bring in the fruit herself, and that the other basket might be ready for her.

She came in, and looked surprised at not finding the same party of young people for whom she had brought the fruit the evening before.

Come here, Jane; tell me when you gathered this fruit?

Very early this morning, Sir.

Oh! you should have brought it quite fresh. If you please, Sir, my father ordered me to gather it before the dew was off, because the fruit is always better for being gathered before

the sun is on it. Look, if you please, Sir, she said, turning aside some of the leaves, the bloom is on it now.

Was your father with you when you gathered it?

No, Sir, he told me what to do last night; he had to go out very early this morning before the time, and when he came back it would have been too late.

Then you did not forget your father's desires? No, Sir.

Why?

I don't know, Sir,-because I remembered it. Would he have been angry if you had forgotten it?

He wouldn't have been pleased, Sir.

Why would he not?

She seemed surprised at my question, but after a pause said, He expects us to do what he orders, when he's away as well as when he's at home.

Would you have been displeased with yourself if you had forgotten?

Yes, Sir, I should have been very sorrowful. Why would you?

Because my father would have been so sorrowful.

Because the fruit would not have been so nice for his customers?

Yes, Sir, but not all for that.

For what besides ?

Because he thinks we do not love God when we do not do as he bids us, and then he says, we cannot love him.

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